Chapter 28: Ceasefire
The Savage Jaw Dragon crashed backward, landing flat on the ground.
Jié Jié’s vision swirled with black and red snowflakes, everything blurring into incomprehensible shapes.
His throat ached horribly, each breath feeling like swallowing shards of glass.
It was as if he had a fish bone stuck in his throat.
After the flames dissipated, not a single ember remained; even the warmth of his own exhaled breath seemed snuffed out.
He’d been wondering why, despite all his struggles, he couldn’t get back up.
Now, after trying to kick himself upright with no success, Jié Jié understood—
If it were easy to stand, he wouldn’t have fallen in the first place.
Glancing at the Terror Tyrant charging toward him, Jié Jié hesitated about shifting forms.
Closing his eyes to reduce the interference from the swirling snowflakes, he forced his battered nerves to relax. Using his head as a pivot point against the ground, he managed to push himself upright.
The incoming Terror Tyrant slammed into him with a forceful shoulder charge, knocking him off balance—but not enough to send him sprawling again.
With what little strength he had left, Jié Jié retaliated with a weak shoulder bump of his own. It felt like hitting a solid wall, more like offering himself as a snack for the ravenous beast.
Indeed, the Terror Tyrant was chewing on him now, its muscular legs stamping the earth with every bite.
Though slightly unsteady, the Savage Jaw Dragon dug its claws into the soil, gaining better footing.
But being gnawed on by the Terror Tyrant wasn’t making escape any easier.
What if he bit back?
Jié Jié turned around and clamped his jaws onto the Terror Tyrant’s tough neck. Fortunately, his mouth lacked sensation, so the stench didn’t bother him.
Using his bite as leverage, he twisted his body, clawing at the ground in spirals, attempting to wrench himself free from the monster’s grasp.
Let go already! Just let go!
Jié Jié glared fiercely, his eyes bloodshot and growing redder by the second.
“Sssshrrrrrip!”
His body swayed dangerously, almost flung away, but his grip on the Terror Tyrant’s neck acted as a third anchor, keeping him grounded.
His width made it harder for the Terror Tyrant to bite effectively, especially since the Savage Jaw Dragon’s teeth often fell out during combat.
In this struggle, Jié Jié managed to rip off half the Terror Tyrant’s teeth—but the fiery pain confirmed he’d lost some flesh too.
“ROAR!”
The Savage Jaw Dragon opened his mouth again, that same obstructed feeling still there, only managing to exhale a puff of hot air.
“ROAR!”
The Terror Tyrant stared at him, holding back another attack. After roaring once, it panted heavily to regain strength, glancing toward where the Fire Dragon had fled earlier.
Its muscle-bound brain must’ve realized hunting Jié Jié wasn’t worth the effort—it conveyed an unspoken ceasefire.
“Roar.”
Accepting the truce, Jié Jié spread his wing membranes and roared, struggling to recall how to use his breath weapon.
Finally, the dragonic energy built up in his mouth overflowed, spitting out a tiny flame before getting extinguished by the escaping gas.
By then, the Terror Tyrant had already chased after the Fire Dragon, leaving behind only its swaying tail.
Jié Jié smacked his lips, deciding to temporarily halt hostilities with the Terror Tyrant. He needed water badly—his sense of taste had returned.
Ugh, bad breath really does spread, doesn’t it?
Locating a water source, he dunked his entire head underwater, eventually submerging his whole body in the pond.
Water seeped into his wounds, causing sharp pain.
This pain helped clear his mind. At the top of the food chain or not, the Terror Tyrant’s retreat today mirrored its past defeats against seasoned Great Thief Dragons.
They clashed to gauge each other’s strength, got hungry, saw they couldn’t eat each other anytime soon, and moved on to new prey.
After all, given the Terror Tyrant’s rapid metabolism, recklessly attacking without strategy would increase its chances of starving.
A Black Wolf Bird emerged from the water and landed nearby, opening its beak to dry its damp wings.
Two prominent gashes marred its wing membranes, and part of its shell was shattered, revealing raw meat beneath—all courtesy of the Terror Tyrant.
Would these heal naturally? If not, every flying Large Monster would likely avoid aerial battles altogether when competing for territory.
Unlike the nocturnal habits of the Black Wolf Bird, Jié Jié maintained regular routines, favoring flight over land-based activities due to his love for soaring.
He constantly worked to overcome the instincts ingrained in him as various monsters.
Slowly exhaling warm air, he dried his wings while the light filtering through Ancient Tree cracks lulled him into drowsiness.
Sleep sounded wonderful. One Fire Dragon eaten by the Terror Tyrant was no big deal—there were plenty more out there.
No early meetings, no work, no classes. Why not sleep if you can?
Jié Jié climbed onto a massive tree branch and dozed off.
In his dreams, the sound of a spinning dice echoed nearby, annoyingly persistent like a mosquito buzzing close to his ear.
SMACK!
Jié Jié slapped the dice with his wing, barely conscious, peeking lazily at what it showed.
Something with a beak and wings? And a tail whipping around like a tornado? It resembled an ape, though the ape-like traits were overshadowed by its wings, beak, and opposable feet.
A Sky Dog Beast… There weren’t any persimmons in the New Continent, right?
The dice vanished, and peace resumed. Jié Jié drifted back into slumber.
Unbeknownst to him, the Black Wolf Bird perched on the branch beside him had transformed into a Sky Dog Beast.
Its long, clawed tail wrapped around the branch, limbs hugging tightly, sleeping soundly.
…
Awakening, Jié Jié glanced at the setting sun.
Stretching his face, he noticed something familiar about the motion.
Since transforming from a Hairy Spider until now, how many forms could replicate this simple act of scratching his cheek?
None.
Jié Jié looked at his furry fingers—four of them.
Four fingers clenched into a fist, then relaxed.
Opening the small beak of the Sky Dog Beast, a burst of flame erupted.
Despite the lingering ache in his mouth, it wasn’t as excruciating as when he was a Thief Dragon. This pain, he could adapt to.
Ah yes, even the Subspecies Scarlet Sky Dog Beast, lacking breath organs, could wield breath weapons.
Clutching his abdomen, he discovered a convenient pocket—a handy feature indeed.
Maybe the dice hadn’t given him the absolute best form, but it was certainly practical.
Looking around, he unfolded the Sky Dog Beast’s arms, using the wings under his armpits to glide down.
From the ground, he picked up some scattered walnuts, cracked one open, tasted it, then tossed it aside. The walnut exploded with a satisfying pop upon impact.
Nearby, he found a yellow fruit, plucked it, threw it, and watched it explode in a small burst.
Hey! No persimmons? So what! There’s more than just persimmons.
Seemingly infected by the playful nature of the Sky Dog Beast, Jié Jié gathered objects from his surroundings, experimenting and playing with them.
After indulging briefly, he remembered the Terror Tyrant and the injured Fire Dragon.
Hmm, should he try again?
Recalling an idea he’d set aside, Jié Jié flapped his wings, transforming into a Female Fire Dragon. Ascending skyward, he pursued the trail of the Terror Tyrant.
Simultaneously—
“ANG!”
The vibrant-shelled Female Fire Dragon emitted a loud, inviting roar, echoing across the land.
